New water lines OK’d in Aurora with $560,000 bond

The Aurora Town Board gave the green light Monday to new water lines on Geneva Road and Center Street, amounting to a $560,000 bond spread over 20 years to improve water for 253 parcels.

Residents included in Water District 6 will pay 98 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation over 20 years for the work. A resident with a home assessed at $100,000 would face a $98 yearly charge over the life of the bond.

Just two residents spoke during a public hearing before the board took action on various resolutions tied to the new water lines on those roads. Tony Rosati, of Center Street, said he wants better communication between the town and its affected residents as the work proceeds. He said he understands the need for the project, since some of his neighbors struggle with low water pressure.

A Geneva Road resident expressed concern about the condition of the soil to handle new water lines. “We have sewers on one side of the road and sewers on the other side, and crossing underneath the road,” she said. “Our soil is so unstable down there that I’m afraid of the whole thing.”

The town’s engineer representative said that the soil in question could be stabilized with backfill.

The board unanimously approved borrowing a maximum of $560,000 over 20 years to finance 1,900 feet of new main and additional water lines along Center Street, and an additional 1,750 feet of new lines along Geneva Road to replace ones that are aging.

As part of its related approvals, the town said that the project does not result in any adverse environmental impact and noted that two public hearings have now been held, with little significant input from the community.

The board also unanimously approved paying up to $64,700 to its town engineer for the project. Design and bid work totals $22,600 of that figure; a separate $8,100 for construction administration; and a maximum of $34,000 for site inspections that could span 10 weeks at 40 hours per week.

After the hearing, Supervisor Jolene M. Jeffe said the town’s goal is to finish work on the Geneva Road project by late June or early July. Center Street would be addressed second, she said, and water line work is expected to be done by late summer.